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A Death In The Afternoon
Meet Mallory Hemingway, reporter—er, receptionist—for the Harmony Times. Distant cousin to the famous Ernest Hemingway.
She’s got a stuffy, snob of a fiancé, a stubborn mother, and a boss who thinks she’s best left to answering the phones at the paper.
But a hot tip comes in about a strange crop circle at the Farmer’s Farm down the road and Mallory decides to investigate. When she arrives at the scene, she finds a dead body and now she’s neck deep in a mystery.
As Mallory’s investigation leads her from the farm next door to the giants of the agricultural industry, a dramatic tale of intrigue and blackmail begin to appear, but is she getting too close to the truth?
The farther down the rabbit hole she goes, the more she fears for her own life. She promises herself if she solves this case—or even makes it out alive—she’s taking that caretaker job at the Hemingway House down in Key West and starting a new life.
A clean cozy mystery. No graphic violence, sex, or strong language.
Lots of mystery, a touch of suspense, and just the right amount of humor, Mallory Hemingway is the girl you will want to be friends with and hear what her next chapter holds.
160 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 8, 2019
14 people are currently reading
28 people want to read
About the author
Kimberly Griggs
22 books16 followersI write romance with a twist—whether it’s wrapped in fantasy, mystery, or suspense, there’s always a love story at the heart of my books.
I’ve been a storyteller for as long as I can remember, spinning wild tales about the characters who live rent-free in my mind or turning a routine trip to the grocery store into a grand saga. My knack for details sometimes drives my husband up the wall— but thankfully, he’s a good sport!
My journey began in fourth grade when I penned my first tragic romance—a dramatic, undying love story that left my teacher both impressed and slightly alarmed. That early passion for storytelling never faded, but it wasn’t until after the birth of my second son that I truly embraced it. Now, I’m still writing romance novels—crafting worlds brimming with love, danger, a touch of magic, and the occasional whodunit.
I’ve been married to my real-life hero for over 25 years, raising two wild and wonderful sons alongside two dogs and a bunny with enough attitude for them all. When I’m not writing, you can find me singing and songwriting with my husband, binge-watching stories on the big screen, or devouring every romance novel I can get my hands on. I live in North GA where I fuel my stories with Diet Coke, heartfelt songwriting sessions, and an alarming number of plot twists.
I’ve been a storyteller for as long as I can remember, spinning wild tales about the characters who live rent-free in my mind or turning a routine trip to the grocery store into a grand saga. My knack for details sometimes drives my husband up the wall— but thankfully, he’s a good sport!
My journey began in fourth grade when I penned my first tragic romance—a dramatic, undying love story that left my teacher both impressed and slightly alarmed. That early passion for storytelling never faded, but it wasn’t until after the birth of my second son that I truly embraced it. Now, I’m still writing romance novels—crafting worlds brimming with love, danger, a touch of magic, and the occasional whodunit.
I’ve been married to my real-life hero for over 25 years, raising two wild and wonderful sons alongside two dogs and a bunny with enough attitude for them all. When I’m not writing, you can find me singing and songwriting with my husband, binge-watching stories on the big screen, or devouring every romance novel I can get my hands on. I live in North GA where I fuel my stories with Diet Coke, heartfelt songwriting sessions, and an alarming number of plot twists.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
February 7, 2020
An enticing introduction to a new series. Mallory has her life all set out for her by her mother and her boyfriend. Socialite, wife, mother and charity volunteer. but Mallory is looking for more. A short but good murder mystery follows as she discovers more about herself. I liked the characters and the mystery. The action is fairly quick and there are little touches of humour. I am intrigued and will read more from this series.
September 15, 2020
A Death in the Afternoon is a terrific intro! 4.6 stars
This was an interesting introduction to a new series. I had no idea what the basic plot was and it was so much fun getting to know Mallory. Being raised in the South with lots of money and class didn't mean she caught any of that. Instead she has red hair and a temper to match. By the end of the novella, you are definitely on her side cheering her on!
This was an interesting introduction to a new series. I had no idea what the basic plot was and it was so much fun getting to know Mallory. Being raised in the South with lots of money and class didn't mean she caught any of that. Instead she has red hair and a temper to match. By the end of the novella, you are definitely on her side cheering her on!
December 14, 2019
Finding yourself in the midst of murder
What a great start to a new series. But bear in mind that it is a very short introduction at only 65% of the page count. Our FMC is a graduate with a journalist degree and she desperately wants to write but her mother and society (as well as her boyfriend) have different plans for her. Charity work, society lunches, 2.5 children - the whole shebang. The job she has at present is as a receptionist at the local paper. All her attempts at getting onto a story end before they start. Until one afternoon. A call out of the blue leads her to visit a local farmer only to be led to his lifeless body. Rows with her boyfriend, roses with her mother, her story rewritten, money, greed and ruthless corporations are all interwoven into a read that is clearly going to lead to a great series.
Okay I had my doubts over the culprit from the start but could not see a motive until the reveal. The characters are full, vibrant and the relationships interesting. Should be a good one to watch out for!
What a great start to a new series. But bear in mind that it is a very short introduction at only 65% of the page count. Our FMC is a graduate with a journalist degree and she desperately wants to write but her mother and society (as well as her boyfriend) have different plans for her. Charity work, society lunches, 2.5 children - the whole shebang. The job she has at present is as a receptionist at the local paper. All her attempts at getting onto a story end before they start. Until one afternoon. A call out of the blue leads her to visit a local farmer only to be led to his lifeless body. Rows with her boyfriend, roses with her mother, her story rewritten, money, greed and ruthless corporations are all interwoven into a read that is clearly going to lead to a great series.
Okay I had my doubts over the culprit from the start but could not see a motive until the reveal. The characters are full, vibrant and the relationships interesting. Should be a good one to watch out for!
March 16, 2020
A Death In The Afternoon - a review by Rosemary Kenny
MC Mallory Hemingway is a journalist with a local paper in Key West, Florida, where her famous (distant) cousin Ernest 'Papa' H once held court.She also works as a receptionist at Papa's former home, now a museum, to supplement her income.
Mallory's family are unsupportive and her editor treats her as worth no more than to be his gofer and write the odd low-interest article for the inside pages from time to time, such as one about crop circles - which suddenly turns into a murder enquiry, after Mallory discovers a corpse!
More skulduggery is afoot and things get more 'interesting' as the trail leads to corruption at the farm's suppliers. Is Mallory in danger? Who is the killer?
Read this exciting prequel, Book 0 in The Southernmost Mystery series by David Berens and Kimberly Griggs to discover the outcome of A Death In The Afternoon - you'll never guess!
MC Mallory Hemingway is a journalist with a local paper in Key West, Florida, where her famous (distant) cousin Ernest 'Papa' H once held court.She also works as a receptionist at Papa's former home, now a museum, to supplement her income.
Mallory's family are unsupportive and her editor treats her as worth no more than to be his gofer and write the odd low-interest article for the inside pages from time to time, such as one about crop circles - which suddenly turns into a murder enquiry, after Mallory discovers a corpse!
More skulduggery is afoot and things get more 'interesting' as the trail leads to corruption at the farm's suppliers. Is Mallory in danger? Who is the killer?
Read this exciting prequel, Book 0 in The Southernmost Mystery series by David Berens and Kimberly Griggs to discover the outcome of A Death In The Afternoon - you'll never guess!
November 19, 2021
Mallory Hemmingway didn't study journalism at a prestigious institute in order to answer the phones at her hometown rag, but that's where she finds herself. When she takes a call about crop circles, she decides to report the story herself and show her worth. Little did she realize that innocuous decision would plunge her into a murder investigation.
I couldn't believe how much the attitudes (of Mallory's fiance and mother) riled me. A day after I finished this novel, I snapped at a sexist comment that was meant as entirely as a joke - such was the hold the book had on me. I would hope their views are not prevalent in the south these days and that families are more loving and supportive. That aside, I loved Mallory as a character and can't wait to see how her life progresses.
Recommended.
I couldn't believe how much the attitudes (of Mallory's fiance and mother) riled me. A day after I finished this novel, I snapped at a sexist comment that was meant as entirely as a joke - such was the hold the book had on me. I would hope their views are not prevalent in the south these days and that families are more loving and supportive. That aside, I loved Mallory as a character and can't wait to see how her life progresses.
Recommended.
January 3, 2020
Mallory Hemingway works for a newspaper asa receptionist but she has a journalist background. When is story comes into the paper about crop circles Mallory decides that she is going to investigate the story herself and gets permission from her publisher. When Mallory arrives at the farm she discovers the firm are dead with an axe in his back. Mallory wants to write the story herself and get a byline. However a lot of strange things start to occur to her is she digs deeper into the story. Is it good book and worth the time to read. I am looking forward to the next one in the series.
February 16, 2020
A good start to introduce us to Mallory and her mystery solving determination. I didn't realize it was a prequel, but am glad to get to know a little history about her and other characters. Not sure why she finally grew a backbone, but it was good to see her standing up to her controlling boyfriend and her boss. I can't wait to read about her new life in Key West! This promises to be a fun series!
March 15, 2020
Fun little mystery to start the series. Mallory is kinda dizzy but honest and in search of herself. She wants to be a writer and life is conspiring against her. Stumbling into a murder is not what she had imagined, but it is an opportunity!
The characters were well done and the story moved along at a decent pace. I sometimes found Mallory's internal thinking a bit too slow, but overall I liked the story,
I received this book as an ARC and wished to leave a review.
The characters were well done and the story moved along at a decent pace. I sometimes found Mallory's internal thinking a bit too slow, but overall I liked the story,
I received this book as an ARC and wished to leave a review.
May 30, 2020
If you can get past the distracting drama moments between the main character Mallory Hemingway and her mother and boyfriend you will find A Death In The Afternoon both enjoyable and challenging to solve. Not a fan of an overabundance of drama so for me less would have been better however if you can ignore the drama you are left with a fast paced cozy featuring a great plot and great characters! Recommended reading for cozy mystery fans.
February 4, 2020
I’m not sure if this was a cozy mystery wrapped up in a coming of age murder mystery or just a plain old murder mystery, but either way it is an entertaining story. If the next story in this series is as good, then this is going to be a series to follow.
April 23, 2025
Mallory doesn’t want the life others have imagined for her. She wants to set the path for her own future. That would include writing, as her distant Hemingway relative did.
Her drive leads her to a very dangerous situation. With luck and alert reaction she deals with the problem.
Her drive leads her to a very dangerous situation. With luck and alert reaction she deals with the problem.
December 19, 2019
Interesting cast of characters that keep your interest!
January 6, 2020
An amazing story. Suspense, and humour to make one book you don’t want to miss.
May 12, 2020
Received a free copy from author for a review. Couldn't put it down until I had finished it. Great story!
July 16, 2020
Ha! A great little read. Thoroughly enjoyed the escapades.
August 12, 2020
This is a fun, quick read. I really enjoyed it, and now would like to read more about this character and other books by this author.
March 12, 2021
Great introduction to a new series.
The plot is a little convoluted due to numerous conflicts of interest.
A lot of dominance issues but eventually the heroine sees the light.
The plot is a little convoluted due to numerous conflicts of interest.
A lot of dominance issues but eventually the heroine sees the light.
September 8, 2021
Southern chauvinism has met its match!
What a wonderful beginning to a series. The main character, Mallory Hemingway (yes, a distant relative of that Hemingway), is a genuine Southern debutante with aspirations of becoming a novelist. She currently works at a small newspaper as the receptionist but she holds out hope for the opportunity to utilize her hard-earned degree from one of the most prestigious journalism universities in the country to begin her writing career. Frustratingly, only her father seems to understand her goals and support her dreams. Her employer, her boyfriend, and even her mother discourage her at every opportunity. I do not know how she tolerated some of their comments. They believe she is best suited for a life of high society events, charitable organizations, and being the dutiful wife and perfect mother. Mallory has other ideas. One day, she answers a call at the newspaper in which a local landowner requests a reporter come out and investigate the sudden appearance of some crop circles. Mallory takes the initiative and follows up on that herself, thinking she can write a brief human interest or soft news story to get her boss to recognize her journalistic skills. She stumbles on something much more complicated than a few pranksters creating crop circles. Finding herself in the middle of a murder investigation, she is determined to solve the case and she lets no one dissuade her despite the danger involved. I love how Mallory comes into her own and develops the confidence to finally stand up for herself and defend her right to live her life on her own terms. This story is a spellbinding whodunit mystery with wonderful and intriguing characters. I can’t wait to follow Mallory on her next adventure because, in her, Southern chauvinism has met its match.
I was provided with a free copy of this book but I am voluntarily offering my honest and unbiased review.
What a wonderful beginning to a series. The main character, Mallory Hemingway (yes, a distant relative of that Hemingway), is a genuine Southern debutante with aspirations of becoming a novelist. She currently works at a small newspaper as the receptionist but she holds out hope for the opportunity to utilize her hard-earned degree from one of the most prestigious journalism universities in the country to begin her writing career. Frustratingly, only her father seems to understand her goals and support her dreams. Her employer, her boyfriend, and even her mother discourage her at every opportunity. I do not know how she tolerated some of their comments. They believe she is best suited for a life of high society events, charitable organizations, and being the dutiful wife and perfect mother. Mallory has other ideas. One day, she answers a call at the newspaper in which a local landowner requests a reporter come out and investigate the sudden appearance of some crop circles. Mallory takes the initiative and follows up on that herself, thinking she can write a brief human interest or soft news story to get her boss to recognize her journalistic skills. She stumbles on something much more complicated than a few pranksters creating crop circles. Finding herself in the middle of a murder investigation, she is determined to solve the case and she lets no one dissuade her despite the danger involved. I love how Mallory comes into her own and develops the confidence to finally stand up for herself and defend her right to live her life on her own terms. This story is a spellbinding whodunit mystery with wonderful and intriguing characters. I can’t wait to follow Mallory on her next adventure because, in her, Southern chauvinism has met its match.
I was provided with a free copy of this book but I am voluntarily offering my honest and unbiased review.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews